Registered Nurses (RN) are integral members of any medical facility. They are basically employed in hospitals, private clinics, nursing homes, residential care facilities, schools, community clinics, elderly healthcare facilities and many other places. The basic duties of a Registered Nurse includes treatment, administering medications, screening health conditions, diagnosing their conditions, completing medical charts, and providing emergency care to the patients.

How to become a Registered Nurse?

You may be wondering how to become a registered nurse. Here are the three main steps required to become a Registered Nurse:

Get the proper basic education: Registered Nurses can be distinguished from other classes of nurses by their higher level of training and education. To become a registered nurse, you must have high school diploma or a GED. For students who are still in high school, they should give attention to their science course mainly biology and chemistry because these are mainly used in the medical field. They also take the SAT or ACT exams to get admitted to a good undergraduate college.

Get the proper Advanced Education: Apart from your regular studies, you should also get the appropriate advanced education to succeed in this field. For this, there are four major paths that you can follow. They are master’s degree in nursing (MSN), a bachelor’s of science degree in nursing (BSN), an associate degree in nursing (ADN), and a diploma. Among these, the most widely used path is the ADN program. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is a two year associate degree program offered by junior and community colleges. The Bachelor’s of Science degree in Nursing (BSN) is a four years course offered by colleges and universities. The diploma program is a three years course offered by hospitals and nursing homes. Registered Nurses with an ADN or diploma also choose to pursue a BSN degree which is also known as RN to BSN program that prepares student for a wider extent of nursing practice. Additionally, Accelerated MSN (Master’s Degree in Nursing) programs can also be pursued by combining a year of BSN program and two years of graduate studies to hold a MSN degree.

Pass the NCLEX-RN exam: In all the states and territories of the United States, including the District of Columbia, students wishing to work as a Registered Nurse are required to pass a national licensing exam known as the NCLEX-RN exam. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing develops and administers the NCLEX-RN examination. The NCLEX-RN examination is accepted by every state as an indicator of having passed the minimum knowledge and skills required to work as a RN. The NCLEX-RN exams are aimed in testing the knowledge and skills of a RN graduate to work effectively as a RN in medical facilities. Those students who wish to take the NCLEX-RN examination should check with the Board of Nursing in their respective state to find out what they need to do.

Are you one of those many people who want to pursue an exciting career as a CNA but don’t have much idea about the CNA career itself? If your answer is yes then we are here to give you all information required to kick start your career.

A CNA, which stands for Certified Nursing Assistant, is a medical officer that is in charge of various activities related to patients. A CNA takes care of all records of a patient and updates the RN, or doctor. Additionally, a CNA is the first person most patients see before the RN or doctor comes in to the hospital, nursing home, or patient room at a doctor’s office.

CNA career

To become a CNA, there are certain requirements that you must meet in order to get legal permit to work. The requirements may vary from one state to another; however, the general requirements are usually the same at all the states. To start a reputed career of a CNA, the first thing that you need to consider is getting the best possible education. Usually, you can take CNA training classes at various community colleges, universities, nursing homes and hospitals as well as American Red Cross. The cost of CNA training usually ranges from $800 to $1200. You can also get financial aid at community colleges for your studies. At some nursing homes and hospitals, you can even get free CNA trainings. Usually at such nursing homes, you will have to work for them for a certain period of time.

If you don’t have enough time to attend a CNA training class, you can also take online CNA class. You can take the theoretical part of the CNA training through online classes and then register at a local medical facility for the practical session. In order to appear the CNA certification examination, you will have to complete 75 to 125 hours of classes. After you complete your training classes, you can register for the CNA certification exam of your state. The exam consists of two sections: the written test and the clinical test. In order to get the CNA license, you will have to pass both the test in the same setting.

After you pass the CNA certification exam, you are ready to start your career as a Certified Nursing Assistant. The last but not the least, to get a job as a CNA, you should start hunting for CAN jobs and vacations. You should tailor a strong CNA resume that will help you get a well paying CNA job. Also, you should prepare yourself for the job interview. You should confidently express yourself and your qualities that will persuade the employer to hire you. If all done as said, your CNA career will flourish.

Good luck!